Time to get away
by oldmule
Summary: It's just fluff!  Less angst and more bumbling romance H/R style but on the beach!
1. Chapter 1

**Finally inspired by my surroundings! . I hope you enjoy and I can only apologise for my weakness and extreme foolishness in proposing that I wouldn't be writing for a month when I clearly can't manage longer than about three days!

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"Leave, Ruth?"

"Yes, I know it's not something I usually ask for?"

Harry looked puzzled and a little disappointed.

"It's just that after the last few months I need a break, I need to get away."

He nodded.

"It's only a week," she said making excuses for asking for time off when she was owed so much.

"Where are you going, anywhere nice?"

"Greece."

He nodded and began to sign the form.

"You will come back, won't you Ruth?" he said it light heartedly and yet she felt his insecurity all over it.

"Yes, Harry, I'll come back and if not you can send out the search party."

"I'll do that," he said and he meant it.

He handed the form back to her. A week was a long time he thought.

"So, what do you plan to do with yourself for a whole week free from terrorists and death threats?"

"Oh, lie on a beach and read, eat olives, drink wine, visit a few ruins."

Harry had stopped listening at 'lie on a beach', he wasn't a lying on a beach type of man but the thought of Ruth lying on a beach had had a strange effect on him.

"That's sounds good..nice, you know. Relaxing," he muttered trying to get his head back together.

"You could do with a break, too, Harry. It's not been easy for you."

"No," she was right he'd had enough this year already.

"When was the last time you had a holiday?"

"1991" he said without hesitation, "it was a disaster."

Ruth was wondering who he might have gone with, she looked at him waiting for further explanation.

"Terrrorists bombed the hotel."

Ruth laughed, "sorry, it's just a bit ironic."

Harry smiled a lopsided smile.

"I'm not safe to be let out," he said.

"Well, if you want to risk it, you know where I…"

She stopped.

He looked at her.

She faltered.

"I'm staying, you know, my contact details are on there if you need me for anything, anything urgent, though I'd rather you didn't, but if there was something then that's my number, but probably not and see you in a week. Bye Harry" and she hightailed it out of his office on a wave of embarrassment.

* * *

Ruth lay on the beach. It was her second day here and she felt herself relaxing. She felt the sun on her skin and the warmth in her bones. She was trying to keep all thoughts of home, the grid and Harry as far away as possible and concentrate on just being. In some of these aims she succeeded and in others she failed. Namely not thinking about Harry.

She lay topless under a palm umberella working on her strap free tan, the last time she had had one was when she had been a student and she remembered how much tanned nipples had done for her self confidence.

Just don't think about Harry.

She reached for her book which was on a sunbed alongside hers.

There was a refreshing breeze and the world was good. In half an hour she would have a swim and soon after that some lunch.

* * *

Olives, feta, bread and tomatoes, glass of chilled white. And definitely not thinking about Harry.

* * *

Back to the beach and her book. It was a novel, sad, beautiful and fascinating and for once she really was managing to truly not think about Harry.

She looked up as the sun went in.

It wasn't, the sun, but rather someone standing in her light. She screwed her eyes up against the intense brightness of the halo that surrounded them but she could merely focus upon a silhouette.

"Is this bed free?" they asked.

He asked.

Harry asked.

Ruth's lower jaw disengaged and she thanked every god known to man that her bikini top was now in place.

Harry stepped out of the light, a towel over his shoulder and a book in his hand.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi" said Ruth, feeling in a distinctly uncomfortable and unfamiliar world whilst having a conversation with Harry in his shorts, wearing only her bikini. There was too much flesh on show for this to be anywhere near normal.

He perched on the sunbed beside her.

Harry was wondering if he'd just made the worst mistake of his life turning up here and yet he was looking at Ruth in a bikini, everything had an upside.

"Harry…" said Ruth eventually.

"Listen, Ruth, I know I probably shouldn't be here but I thought about what you said and realised that you were right that I really did need a holiday and well I'm here and if you want to be alone then that's fine, it's a big beach and I can eat in the village and you need not see me at all but, but if you want more, I mean, you know, some company, dinner, on the beach, whatever, then I'll be around, if that's what you want."

Finally he breathed after possibly the longest sentence of his life.

"Oh," said Ruth, wondering if her blue bikini was more becoming.

"That's it really," added Harry.

"Right," said Ruth "I'll move that out the way," and she reached across to take her bag from his sunbed, her hand brushing his knees as he reached to help her and they both fumbled over the bag.

Finally it was on the floor alongside her.

Harry thought it all the invitation he was going to get and swung his legs round onto the bed, opening his book.

"There's some suncream, in my bag," said Ruth helpfully.

"Already got some on," he said and looked out to sea.

Ruth took the opportunity whilst he wasn't paying her any attention to look at him and soak him in. He was barefoot, wearing blue shorts and a loose pink shirt which was only held fastened by a couple of buttons. He had sunglasses on, which was a shame as she wished she could see his eyes. It was a good job she couldn't see his eyes because they weren't looking out to sea at all they were magnetised round to her.

"What's your book?" said Ruth, trying to drag her mind back to some kind of sanity.

"Jane Eyre."

"Jane Eyre?" she repeated, a little surprised.

"What were you expecting me to say Tom Clancy, or Ian Fleming, heaven forbid?"

"No," she laughed, "I just didn't expect that."

"I like to reread it every so often."

He smiled and turned back to it.

Ruth thought about Harry as Mr Rochester. It was an image that would keep coming back to her.

They sat and spent the rest of the afternoon both pretending to read their books though neither turned a page for at least an hour or two.

**More to come if you fancy!**


	2. Chapter 2

It was about five o'clock and the guests on the beach were thinning out.

Both had had enough sun but neither truly wanted to move.

"Ruth, would you like to have dinner…together, tonight?"

"I would," she said and he smiled a warm smile, "but I can't," the smile faded.

"It's just that I have a friend who I went to University with and he lives here now and I said I'd go for dinner with him."

"Oh," said Harry more than a little disappointed.

"He's just a friend," said Ruth.

"Right," he wasn't convinced.

"So I'm meeting him and his wife."

"Oh," said Harry this time a little happier, "okay, well, no problem. Have a lovely time, Ruth."

"Thank you," she said, wishing she hadn't said yes to the invite, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes, tomorrow."

"I'll be around about here," she said, as he got up from the sunbed and she tried not to look at his attractively hairy legs.

"Okay. I've got some things to do first thing but I'll see you late morning."

"Good," she said, "bye Harry."

"Bye, Ruth," and unwillingly he left her.

That evening Harry ate by himself. It wasn't unusual. It didn't worry him. He thought about Ruth and he thought about seeing her in the morning and he thought about her bikini and all in all life was certainly more interesting then being on the grid.

That evening Ruth sat in the restaurant with her old friend, David and his wife Ella. She thought about Harry. She thought about his pink shirt. She thought about how he had looked at her and she was more than happy that he had appeared seemingly from her dreams and become a reality.

That night Harry went to bed and thought about Ruth. He thought about sitting next to her on the beach and he thought about swimming with her and he thought about having a romantic dinner with her on the beach and the rest of his thoughts, well they were for him alone.

That night Ruth received another invite to David's own house a couple of days later. She thought about Harry and how it meant she would be another night without him. She hesitated and Ella picked up on her hesitation, Ruth admitted there was someone she might be 'seeing'. Ella invited both of them back to theirs for a meal. Ruth said she'd let them know. She went to bed and thought about seeing Harry tomorrow and wondered if he'd be wearing his pink shirt.

The next morning Ruth was on the beach early. There was a part of her that thought tanned nipples were a good idea and should Harry ever see them, they'd be all the more attractive. Then there was a part of her that screamed what are you even thinking, stop it. But she couldn't stop it and so she took her bikini top off and decided she had at least two hours before he was due to appear. Fine. She'd be tanned for herself and not for him. Don't think about Harry.

It was mid morning and Ruth was absorbed in her book.

"Hi" said Harry and then his face fell.

Ruth's face was trying to hide her horror. She tried to look casual but how can you look casual when you're talking to your boss topless.

Harry was regretting forgetting his sunglasses. He was at war with his eyes. His eyes wanted to linger over Ruth's body, Harry was trying to command them to be anywhere but. Ruth was aware of the battle. Harry was winning but it was a close call.

Ruth recovered herself enough to say "hi" and then she turned casually onto her front. Harry's eyes followed her, he told them not to, they didn't listen and then he was looking at her back. He turned away to the sunbed that she had already pulled up alongside her, in anticipation of his arrival later in the day. His arrival that had been somewhat earlier that expected.

Ruth was trying to focus on normality, practicality, fact, any bloody thing but then Harry decided that she might feel more comfortable and less vulnerable if he took his shirt off. Ruth was now almost beside herself.

"You're early," said Ruth.

"Yes, I got up a bit earlier than expected."

"Been doing anything interesting?" she asked, wondering where her bikini top was and seeing with horror that the breeze had moved it out of her reach. She didn't know how she was going to get out of this rather embarrassing situation.

"I went to the gym and for a swim and then I had some emails to go through."

"Harry, you're on holiday," she admonished.

"It was a late decision and there were things I didn't have time to clear up."

She looked at him.

"Last ones, honest."

"You promise?"

"Yes, Ruth, I promise."

And then they lay and casually chatted about how their respective evenings had gone and what they had eaten. Neither said how much they had been thinking about the other. Ruth never mentioned the dinner invite, nor did she mention that her back, which was unprotected by sun cream, was burning. How could she? She couldn't turn over without further mortification.

Harry looked at her.

"Ruth, your back looks red. I think it might be burning a little."

"Oh, really?" she said casually.

"Do you need some cream on it?"

"…er..yes..that would be good, nice, a good idea."

Harry knelt at her side and took the cream from her bag.

Ruth lay her head away from him so that he couldn't see the emotions running uncontrollably across her face.

And then she felt his hands upon her back. They were gentle but strong. His fingers worked the cream into her skin. His hands pushed up from her lower back up the length of her spine and then across, slowly and deliberately to her shoulder blades, his fingers moved up and curled over her shoulders and across her neck before plunging down once more, moving in circles now, as they dipped towards her hips and around her waist. Ruth didn't care if she burnt to a cinder. He could do this all day.

Finally he knew that he could not indulge himself any longer.

"There we go," he said.

"Thanks," she said breathlessly.

"How are my legs" she asked knowing that they'd been in the shade and were fine.

"Not as bad as your back, but a bit pink" said Harry lying blatantly.

"Oh," said Ruth.

"Do you want me to do them while I'm here?" asked Harry with the cream already poised in his hands.

"Okay, then," said Ruth casually, trying not to hyperventilate.

Harry started at her ankles and worked his way up. Both hands massaged simultaneously up her calves, lingering around the back of her knees and then they moved slowly and steadily higher. His palms were flat, his fingers outspread, as his thumbs worked their way up the inside of her thighs.

Ruth let out a slow moan.

"Okay?" asked Harry.

"Yes, yes, fine," she said brightly.

And then he was rubbing the last of the cream around the top of her thighs and she was thinking it would be a good idea to get sunbeds on the roof of Thames House for when it was warm enough. She was thinking that amongst other things.

Once more he had run out of time and respectability.

"Done," he said and took a moment to calm himself before he moved back to his sunbed.

"Thank you," she said and looked the other way.

They both sat on the beach, their thoughts were elsewhere.

Harry needed a moment away from her, if he was to remain in any kind of control.

"Drink?" he said.

"Yes, yes a water. Lots of ice," said Ruth. She definitely needed cooling down.

**More to come, if desired.**


	3. Chapter 3

**More unmitagated fluff

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By the time Harry returned with drinks Ruth's bikini top was back in its rightful place and she felt happier for it, though she would always feel eternally grateful for its absence when she thought of his hands running down her back and legs.

They chatted, somewhat more comfortably for the rest of the morning and then Harry proposed a swim.

The water was warm, the current surprisingly strong. They walked until they were waist deep and she hesitated as he encouraged her to take the final leap.

For a moment it was not clear whether he was talking about the water or the state of their relationship.

He decided to lead the way and ploughed in. He was a good swimmer. He powered away from her. His front crawl was impressive and she was quite content just watching him. Eventually he turned and swam back to her, calling for her to join him. She submerged herself and swam out to him. The water was not too deep, she could just about stand. The tide though was strong and caught her off balance. She was pushed back into Harry. His arms immediately moved to her waist and laughing he turned her around in the water to face him. They looked at each other. The tide behind just kept pushing and pinned her to him, perhaps nature was telling them something. It was a delicious sensation and one that neither of them could easily free themselves from. They didn't have the slightest inclination to try. She was laughing now, pretending to try and move away and all the time bumping into him. The water was glistening on her face and neck, her eyes shone and he felt the joy that had been missing from her for so long returning. He was drowning in her eyes when she put her hands on his shoulders and her body slid down his. He moved her away. She looked disappointed, she felt rejected. He could see as much but he knew it was the safest thing to do under the circumstances. They had had enough embarrassing moments for one day and his self control was failing him now. He lingered in the water, apart from her. She was trying to wade out but the ebb of the tide kept tugging her back. When he had regained control of himself he strided out before her and tugged at her hand pulling her with him, away from the waves. They were laughing and as they broke through to the beach, he held on to her hand for a little while longer and then let go unwillingly.

That afternoon they took up their books and resumed their quiet and now comfortable companionship, staying clear of further physical temptations.

"Harry"

"Yes, Ruth?"

"Do you fancy that dinner, tonight?"

"I'd love to, if that's what you want."

"Yes, it is."

She smiled at him, he smiled at her.

And they turned back to their books.

"Where are you and Mr Rochester up to?" asked Ruth.

"Chapter 19," and he read in a quiet voice, "I wish I were in a quiet island with only you; and trouble, and danger, and hideous recollections removed from me."

And then he looked at her.

"But you are Harry," she said.

And she returned to her book, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for reviews, much appreciated. Harry and Ruth belong to Kudos and Jane Eyre belongs to Charlotte Bronte.

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The restaurant was the one that Harry had been to the night before. It sat on the beach overlooking the sea, framed by the mountains, lit by the setting sun.

They met in the bar. Harry wearing chinos and a short sleeved blue shirt. Ruth in a light silvery dress that seemed to shine and transfixed Harry for most, if not all of the night.

Their conversation was light and gentle and soothing. It was restorative.

They were watching a man a few tables down doing battle with a lobster and losing.

"What's the hardest thing you've ever had to do Ruth?" Harry suddenly asked. She thought about it. She nearly said, watch you walk off the grid to meet Lucas, but she didn't. She thought about watching George die but she'd not really been able to _do _anything. She thought about letting Nico go.

She settled instead on four words.

"Get on the boat".

She looked at Harry.

Neither said anything.

Harry wanted to, he'd waited years to but he didn't.

"And you, Harry? I suppose it's not fair to ask you the hardest thing you've ever had to do, there've been too many things."

He thought about saying, let you get on the boat, but he didn't. He thought of watching Ruth's despair over George and Nico. He thought of all the lives he had had to sacrifice.

Finally he spoke.

"I think it was to not look at you this morning on the beach"

Ruth's mouth dropped open and her face immediately reddened, she looked away. And when she dared to glance back at him all she could see was a face alive with love and devilment and mischief.

"Yes, well, I think you'll find that that doesn't actually count, primarily because it wasn't, in the end something you managed"

"Sorry Ruth, it was just, well, a bit of a surprise."

"For you and me both," she said.

Harry smiled, "you're tan's coming along nicely though."

"Harry!" was all she said and then she laughed.

They walked from restaurant back towards the hotel. The night was warm with a faint breeze. Ruth thought about taking his hand which was so close to hers. Harry thought about slipping his hand around her waist.

Neither did anything.

They walked on until they were at the foot of the stairs leading up to Ruth's room. She half turned to him.

"It was a lovely meal, Harry, thank you."

"My pleasure, Ruth."

She looked up at him and away and back.

He was looking nowhere other than at her.

The wind stilled and the noises around them quietened. For a moment the world held it's breath.

He knew what he wanted.

She knew what she wanted.

Neither of them moved. Neither of them breathed.

And then.

And then

As one they both turned and went their separate ways.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry was on the beach before Ruth.

As she reached their now usual spot, there he was, sat feet up, book perched before him, wearing his sunglasses and a burgundy pair of shorts.

"Morning Ruth," he said brightly, "thought _I'd _go topless this morning."

She tried not to smile, but failed. She decided to say nothing to him but sat on her sunbed and got out her book. Then she put it down again and slipped off her long sun top revealing a blue bikini which Harry had not seen before. This morning he did see it from behind his sunglasses, he gave it his undivided attention.

As she settled back down, still not having spoken to him, he simply said,

"Sleep well?"

"Yes, thanks," she lied, she'd slept fitfully. She had only thought of him.

"And You?"

"Very well," he lied. He would be surprised if he'd slept more than a couple of hours. He should have kissed her. He should have said something.

Ruth reached for the suntan lotion and began to lash it on. She hoped he might get bored a little later and go for a walk, or something, letting her sneakily slip in a half hour of topless tan topping up. In the meantime though she began to rub in the lotion. She started at her feet and worked her way up. As she was doing her stomach and hips it began to dawn on her that Harry hadn't turned a page for a very long time. He had his sunglasses on and she couldn't see his eyes but she felt certain that they were on her and not Jane Eyre. She couldn't help herself. Her hands moved more slowly now, she was no longer lashing it on but rubbing, sensuously and slowly, working her way under her bikini strings and down and around her cleavage. Harry's mouth was slightly ajar. He turned over suddenly onto his front. Ruth smiled.

"I would never really thought of you as a beach type person, Harry."

"No. I'm not. Though I'm beginning to see it's appeal," his attention however was now firmly fixed upon his book.

"And what's Mr Rochester got to say for himself this morning?" she asked.

Harry smiled. He wasn't on that precise page but he had read it last night. He didn't need to look at the page to know the words but he did anyway, "It is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And…I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly."

He looked at her and added, "Chapter 23."

Ruth felt as though she could listen to Harry reading to her for the rest of her life. She felt that he had chosen his quotation well. She felt that same string tugging at her now.

He waited for her response.

She didn't give one.

She was too moved.

Eventually she managed to say one thing.

"Have you got some cream on your back?"

"No. But it'll be fine for a minute," he said. Another blatant lie, he had practically dislocated his shoulder earlier trying to cover his back. Ruth didn't need to know that, however.

"Oh, men," muttered Ruth, "you all think you're untouchable," and she continued to chunter as he heard her recovering the lotion from her bag.

"Utch up," she said, almost aggressively.

Harry slid over as much as he could.

"Ah, that's cold," he protested as she squirted suncream all over his back.

"Shush, " she said, "I need to concentrate."

"Concentrate on what?"

"On this," and with that her hands began to manipulate both the lotion and his back. This wasn't just application of cream this was to all intents and purpose a particularly good massage.

Harry groaned.

"Too hard?" she asked.

"No….er, no…it's good, it's fine just fine."

And her fingers worked the muscles in his shoulders, her thumbs circling strong and hard. They slid down the top of his arms to his wrists and back up. They worked down his spine, vertebrae by vertebrae. They worked his sides and every muscle and sinew felt the strength and power of her hands. Finally they reached the small of his back where they swept across, her fingertips forcing themselves just under the waistband of his shorts.

"There we go," she said, rubbing her hands on her own legs to get rid of the surplus lotion.

There was no answer from Harry.

"Harry?" she wondered if he had gone to sleep.

He was far from asleep.

"Harry?"

"My god, Ruth, where did you learn to do that?"

"Oh I used to go out with a masseur just after university. Showed me the technique. I can do full body too."

Harry gulped.

"Do you need me to do your legs?"

"No. No. They're fine," said Harry very quickly. "He knew that he couldn't take any more, not without doing something probably considered highly indecent and probably illegal on a beach.

"Maybe some other time, though," he added quickly, just in case.

"Okay" said Ruth quite happily and sat back down and picked up her book.

Harry stayed on his front for a long time.

Eventually he offered to get some drinks and said he'd be about half an hour as had to check on something. He needed to get away. She was blissfully unaware of the effect she was having.

As he disappeared up the beach her bikini top flew off, the lotion came out again and she remained on high alert for his return. She was not going to find herself in yesterday's position again!

He came back and all was as he had left it.

"Drink," he said handing her a fruit punch.

"Thanks,"

Harry sat back down.

"Harry, about dinner,"

"Yes," he answered happily.

"I've been invited to my friend's again."

"Oh," he had two nights left with her, now this meant only one.

"You're invited too."

"I am?"

"Yes."

"But they don't know me."

"No, but they've invited you. So would you like to come?"

"But how can they invite me when they've no idea who I am."

"Because I told them I was with somebody."

"With somebody?"

"Yes, have you forgotten how to speak English?"

"What do you mean 'with'?"

"_With_, here, on the island, _with_ someone, you know, accompanied by, together _with_, associated _with_." She felt too nervous to go further.

"So will you come, or not?"

"Yes I'd love to come with you, go with you, together, to theirs."

"That's good," she said and raised her book, exhausted by the whole conversation.

They both lay back and thought thoughts not suitable for a family audience and then they both fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hi Ruth," Ella kissed her. David turned to Harry.

"And this is?"

"My boss," blurted Ruth, wondering why she'd said it.

Harry looked at her, "but not this week," he smiled and turned to David and Ella.

"Harry," he said and held out his hand.

"Good to meet you, Harry, Ruth's boss," laughed David.

"And is he a good boss, Ruth?" asked Ella.

"The best" said Ruth quickly and vowed to start thinking before engaging her mouth.

"And," said David, "is she a good employee Harry?"

"The best," he said still smiling, "the very best."

Ruth blushed. David and Ella watched them and smiled.

"And that's in the civil service?"

"Yes," answered both of them together.

"Good, well glad that's all sorted. How about a drink, Harry."

And off they went to the patio in search of alcohol.

"He seems nice," said Ella.

"He is."

Dinner went well, they were all comfortable in each other's conversation and Ruth managed to not say anything else stupid.

Ella went to the kitchen to get the coffees, David followed her.

"Do you think he's married?" whispered David.

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know, her boss and a holiday away and there's clearly something going on and yet they're almost behaving like it isn't."

"Well, that's as clear as mud, Sherlock."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, kind of. I'll quiz her after coffee. You go and engage Harry in brandy and cigars and I'll do girly chat."

Finally Ella had Ruth to herself.

"So how long have you known Harry?"

"Oh, years," said Ruth

"No, I mean 'known', you know, how long have you been together?"

"We're not."

"What do you mean you're not."

"We're not really together."

"In what sense?"

"In any sense," said Ruth.

Ella just looked confused.

"Though he did ask me to marry him."

"Oh" more confused.

"But I said no."

"But why, you love him don't you," said Ella, simply.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

Ella was seriously confused.

"Look, Ruth, I don't know who everyone is and I don't begin to understand what's going on here but even a blind person can see that you both adore each other and whether you're together or not there's clearly something going on. My god, I could feel the sparks before you'd even got out of the taxi. If there was anymore sexual tension round here it would be pornographic."

Ruth looked stunned.

"Do you think so?"

Ella was exasperated, she sighed to maintain some element of composure.

"Yes, Ruth I do think so. Now for god's sake go and kiss him."

"What?"

"Kiss him."

"I can't."

"You can."

"No Ella, I can't,"

"Kiss him, I dare you."

"Ella you used to do this to me at Uni, I'm not biting."

Ruth, I dare and double dare you and if you don't I'll tell Harry about the incident in the University fountain."

"You wouldn't," said a horrified Ruth.

"I would. So kiss him now."

"Ella."

Ella folded her arms and pursed her lips together.

Ruth slowly turned from the kitchen.

"Hi" said Harry as she joined them. He was standing on the balcony, his open necked blue shirt loosely billowing in the breeze. He was leant against the railing, a cigar in his hand, with a warm and wonderful smile, looking more relaxed and at ease then she'd ever seen him. It suited him. My god he looked sexy.

Ruth walked up to him, "hi" she replied and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She'd momentarily forgotten about the dare.

It was a gentle, tender, chaste kiss but it was on the lips and it lasted for several seconds. As she pulled away she saw his slightly surprised but evidently happy expression. She turned and walked back to the kitchen and Ella who was standing by the doorway.

"Happy now," said Ruth.

"I am, how about you?"

Ruth tried not to but couldn't quite help smiling.

David looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow, Harry just shrugged and smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

They said their goodbyes and climbed into the taxi.

David and Ella waved them off. David looked to Ella.

"Don't ask!" she said.

Ruth and Harry sat in the back of the cab and both wanted to reach out for the others hand, but they didn't.

"Harry, I'm sorry for kissing you," she blurted out when they were almost back at the hotel.

"It's not a problem, Ruth, really."

"I don't know what came over me, maybe I've had a little bit too much to drink."

Harry didn't know what to say. He thought she was back tracking, the excuses were being prepared. He knew the signs, he just didn't want to be led in the direction they were pointing.

"Ruth, really you don't need to apologise. That's what I'm here for." That had come out all wrong he realised. "Well, not that I'm here in Greece for that, clearly, but, well I'm here if you want me. need me, I mean, if you want to kiss me that's fine, but if you don't well, that's okay." He tailed off and sighed. He couldn't take much more. It really wasn't okay if she didn't want to kiss him. He didn't think it ever would be again.

They got out of the cab and walked towards her room. At the bottom of the stairs they paused.

"Harry…I"

He waited.

"I…shouldn't."

He waited.

"Shouldn't…" she wanted to say I shouldn't have said no to you, but the words just wouldn't come. She still thought it too much of a jump. From hardly being able to string a sentence together, to marriage. It was madness surely.

But she did want him.

Him and only him.

But the words just wouldn't come.

He thought she was saying she shouldn't be anywhere near him, shouldn't have kissed him, shouldn't invite him to her room.

Just shouldn't.

As they stood there, faltering for the words a couple of teenagers came round the corner laughing. Ruth looked nervously at them and away. They didn't speak, didn't even acknowledge them they just kept laughing.

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Ruth and ran up the stairs. He called after her but his only answer was the door shutting behind her.

He stood and looked at her door, he didn't want to go.

She stood in the room. They weren't laughing at her, or Harry, they were just kids. She couldn't take another night of not saying the things to him she wanted to say, she couldn't spend another sleepless night thinking about his touch, his face, how sexy he looked leant on the patio. She turned and ran back out of the door.

He was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry to drive you all mad with frustration - but hey that's H/R for you! This and an epilogue to go. Enjoy (I hope).

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Ruth closed the door behind her. She cursed herself in every language she knew. She cursed her timidity, she cursed her negativity, she cursed her self doubt. She knew it was time to give herself a stern talking to.

_How have you felt in the last few days, Ruth?_

Happy.

_How happy?_

Happier than I can remember.

_Why?_

Because of him.

_Why?_

Because I love him.

_Is that it, Ruth?_

Yes, that's it. It's simple.

_And how do you feel now?_

Like shit.

_Good. Go find him._

She left her room.

As she walked through the courtyard she found herself drawn to the beach. She was about to head to the bar and from there to Harry's room but something caught her eye, something stopped her. There was a light on the beach, it was small and it was intermittent, glowing in the night. It was there and then it was gone.

Something under her ribs pulled her towards it, something inside her wouldn't let her move away.

It was a cigar and she knew without seeing him that it was Harry.

She padded quietly across the sand.

He was leant against the central pole under the wooden shade. He looked out to sea and to the lights of the village in the mountains and he smoked his cigar. He looked pensive.

No, thought Ruth, he looked lost.

"Harry?" she said and stepped in front of him.

His gaze didn't move from the sea.

"Yes."

She didn't know what to say.

His breathing was getting deeper, heavier and he was using the cigar to try and control it, to breathe in and breathe out.

"What do you want of me, Ruth?"

She didn't speak. She too looked at the sea.

He sighed.

He felt so close to her and yet so far away, thus it was ever so.

Her fingers reached for his, their touch was feather light.

He did not respond.

She wound them through his, entwine them together.

He did not respond.

"Ruth, please," he pleaded.

"What is it, Harry?"

His breath was becoming still deeper and heavier.

Suddenly he looked at her and this man who hid his feelings for a living was instead a living book of emotion and she read each and every chapter as they played across his face. Love, hurt, pain, desire, need, hope, rejection, passion, happiness, fear, regret, loyalty, faith and sadness. They were there and then they moved on.

He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His breathing was more laboured still.

And then Ruth knew.

"Say it, Harry."

He looked at her, breathing in and out, in and out, deeper and deeper.

"Say it..it's time."

His eyes widened.

"It's the right time., Harry, say it…please."

His eyes closed and suddenly his breathing stopped.

"I love you, Ruth," he whispered.

His eyes slowly opened and he reached out and tucked a strand of her hair, caught in the wind, behind her ear and with a sudden intake of the breath he had been holding, he kissed her. He kissed her and every emotion that had passed across his face now passed through his lips and Ruth felt all the love, hurt, pain, desire, need, hope, passion, happiness, fear, regret and faith in every moment of his kiss.

They stood beneath the umbrella and kissed. They would have been happy to stay there all night.

It was a kiss they had owed themselves for a long time, a kiss the world had owed them, a kiss they were in no hurry to stop.

Eventually Ruth pulled her lips away from him.

"I love you," she said.

Harry smiled. His next words were not his own, but he felt them true enough.

"I cannot be so blessed, after all my misery. It is a dream; such dreams as I have had at night when I have clasped her once more to my heart, as I do now; and kissed her, as thus….and felt that she loved me, and trusted that she would not leave me."

"Which I never will, sir, from this day." Ruth smiled.

They paused and looked at each other and then as one they said, 'Chapter 37."


	9. Epilogue

**Many thanks for such enthusiastic reviews. This is where I go and ruin it with a very silly and slightly out of character epilogue!**

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Epilogue

Ruth walked on to the Grid.

"Hi, stranger," said Beth.

"Hi, how's it been?" asked Ruth.

"Oh, quiet, thankfully. Harry took a few days off too, so if it hadn't have been we would have been in trouble."

"That's good," said Ruth.

"How was your holiday?"

"Lovely," said Ruth, "wish I was still there."

"You look really well."

At that moment the pod doors swished open and out stepped a rather bronzed Harry.

Beth looked at him and back to Ruth, "as does Harry, funnily enough," she said as a smile spread across her face.

"Evershed," called Dimitri as he walked in with a cup of coffee, "Nice tan!"

"You haven't seen the half of it," murmered Harry as he crossed to his office.

Dimitri looked at Ruth.

"Tanned nipples, very attractive," added Harry without stopping.

Dimitri dropped his coffee.

Beth spluttered.

Ruth laughed and then blushed.

Harry sat at his desk and sighed a contented sigh.


End file.
